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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22471942">Just A Number</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow'>FleetSparrow</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman (Comics)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Difference, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-01-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 10:07:22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>438</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22471942</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FleetSparrow/pseuds/FleetSparrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce turns fifty, and muses on what he’s done.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Dick Grayson/Bruce Wayne</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>165</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>BruDick Week 2020</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Just A Number</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Day 5 of Bruce/Dick week.  Prompt:  Age Difference</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Dick woke up to Bruce stroking his hair.  He smiled and closed his eyes again, reveling in the feeling of Bruce petting him.  He wrapped one arm around Bruce, holding him close as he tried to slip back to sleep.  But something felt off. Something in Bruce’s body language wasn’t quite right. Dick opened his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing,” Bruce said, quietly.  “Go back to sleep.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I can’t.  Something’s wrong.”  He looked up at Bruce’s face.  “What is it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce sighed.  “I was just thinking.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“About?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Have I been selfish keeping you to myself?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dick shifted to look at him easier.  “What do you mean?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Did I keep you from enjoying your youth?” Bruce asked.  “From marrying? From having a family?” Bruce was no longer looking at Dick, but looking somewhere past him off into space.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dick moved off Bruce’s chest and sat up beside him.  “What’s this about?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce huffed a small laugh.  “I’m fifty today. I never thought I’d make it this long.”  He looked at Dick, though his eyes were still distant. “But you.  You’re still young. You shouldn’t be with me. You should be chasing after children or waking up with a supermodel or something.  Not sleeping with an old man.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dick touched his cheek, making Bruce focus on him.  “First, you’re not old, so stop that. Second, you’re acting like I didn’t have anything to do with this.”  He smiled. “I chased you, remember? Don’t make me keep chasing you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce’s shoulders lowered, like a weight had been removed.  Dick kissed him, running his hand through the grey at Bruce’s temples.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Besides,” Dick said, grinning.  “Don’t you know? I’ve always liked older men.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce arched an eyebrow and wrapped an arm around Dick’s back.  “Oh, do you, now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’re you gonna do about it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce rolled them over onto the bed, straddling Dick.  “I should do something. After all, it is my birthday.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dick’s eyes shone up at him mischievously.  “That’s an awful lot of birthday spanks. Think of my poor hand.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll settle for fifty kisses,” Bruce said.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wimp!  But, I’ll give them to you anyway.”  Dick kissed him. “One.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Hmm, this might take a while.  I think we should stay in bed.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dick grinned.  “Then you get up and lock the door.  I’ll keep it warm for you.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Bruce growled and nipped at Dick’s throat.  “I’ll risk it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Dick wrapped himself around Bruce’s broad frame and kissed him again.  Bruce could get morose, but that was Dick’s job, to keep him from falling too deep into that inner darkness.  And that was a job Dick was more than happy to keep filling.</span>
</p>
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